Director of Publications

Description:  The Director of Publications works closely with Collections and Research staff, as well as with consulting scholars, to develop and coordinate a program of scholarly and general interest publications for the Barnes Foundation, including collection catalogues (both print and digital), special exhibition catalogues and brochures, and special exhibition didactics. He/she oversees the editorial team responsible for editing content generated across the institution, including marketing materials, educator resources, and online content. He/she oversees the work of the Graphic Design Department and ensures that publications appropriately reflect the Foundation’s brand.  He/she works with the Collections, Research, Education, Development, and Retail staffs, as well as other senior staff, to set procedures, schedules, and budgets for all publications (in print and online). The Publications Director will update the style guide for the Barnes Foundation and its publications, as needed.

We’re committed to diversity and equal opportunity in our recruitment and hiring. Highly qualified candidates of all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply for this position.

Established in 1922 as an educational institution, the Barnes Foundation carries out its mission by promoting appreciation of the arts and horticultural science, through the preservation, presentation, and interpretation of the collections of Albert C. and Laura L. Barnes.

Celebrated for its exceptional breadth, depth, and quality, the Barnes Foundation’s art collection includes works by some of the greatest European and American masters of impressionism, post-impressionist, and early modern art, as well as African sculpture, Pennsylvania German decorative arts, Native American textiles, metalwork, and more.

The Barnes Foundation engages diverse audiences through its exceptional collections and high-quality programs that reflect a broad range of periods and cultures and build on the founders’ innovative educational vision of transforming lives through the arts and horticulture. 

Responsibilities:

Collection and Exhibition Catalogues and Other Publications

• For collection and exhibition catalogues, the Director of Publications  works with Barnes Foundation Collections staff, Research staff, and outside scholars to establish the concept, content, and editorial style for each publication; provides the budget for each book (including costs for outside authors, third-party vendors, and rights clearances); establishes procedures for manuscript submission and editing; develops the manuscript from the outline stage; evaluates and edits manuscripts (with contracted/freelance editors, as needed); consults on catalogue design; coordinates the illustration and rights clearance process with the Visual Resources Manager, and staff as assigned; identifies designers and printers and solicits bids from them; and ensures that all deadlines are met by contributing authors, contract editors, and any other third-party vendors.
• Oversees line-editing of the manuscript and collaborates with contributing authors in finalizing the text. He/she supervises preliminary copyediting; creates copyeditor’s style sheet for the publication; and oversees final copyediting.
• Supervises all production stages, working closely with authors, book publisher’s editorial/production staff, designers, copy editors, proofreaders, and indexers, as needed. He/she identifies contract personnel and works with the General Counsel to negotiate contracts with these personnel.  Works with the Director of Retail Operations to determine appropriate print quantities for catalogues for internal consumption and for sale in the Foundation’s shop.
• Creates prospectus materials (content précis, preliminary page and image count, list of contributing authors) in order to publish and distribute Barnes Foundation publications,; recommends domestic/international publishers to solicit for each project; solicits bids from publishing houses; reviews publishers’ bids and makes recommendations to the Chief Curator, DD for RIE, Director of Finance and General Counsel about the selection of a publisher for each project. Working with the General Counsel, the Publications Director negotiates the contract with the publisher and any third-party distributors of Barnes Foundation catalogue content. He/she prepares the manuscript for submission to the publisher; consults with the publisher’s designer and production manager; proofreads page layouts with contributing authors; reviews color proofs with the Visual Resources Manager and contributing authors; works with the printer; and supervises the delivery of books to the Barnes Foundation and other venues, as project needs dictate. The Publications Director reviews the publisher’s catalogue copy and book jacket copy.
• Works with the Director of Retail Operations to determine topics for general interest publications to be produced for sale in the Foundation’s shop and on-line. 

Exhibition Materials

• Works with the curatorial staff and consulting curators to establish the didactic scope of gallery materials, including wall texts, maps, ancillary images, etc. He/she establishes the procedure for manuscript submission and editing; ensures that didactics and brochures are edited for exhibitions, as well as any online component of projects. He/she coordinates with the Collections and Education staff, the editorial team and the graphic design team to oversee the proofing of all didactics through the production phase.
• Works closely with Collections staff and Advancement team to develop and edit marketing materials for the promotion of the exhibition and accompanying programs, including press releases/kits and captions for signature images. Coordinates with Advancement on invitations, advertisements, postcards, flyers, and electronic communications related to exhibition projects.
•    Evaluates external publications that accompany traveling exhibitions.

Website

• He/she works with Collections and Research staff to establish style guidelines and to refine content developed for the Web site by departments across the institution as well as other online media. Working with the editorial team, he/she will develop production schedules for content submission and editing and coordinate the update of this content. He/she will work with the Chief Curator and General Counsel to develop and implement use policies, end-user license agreements, and privacy policies in connection with the Foundation’s online media resources.

Graphic Design

• Manages the Art Director for the Foundation.  Determines workload priorities and ensures that design work is “on-brand” to achieve the Foundation’s goals.  Assists in determination of cost/benefit for print and digital assets.

Managerial Competencies:                                           

• Demonstrates the ability to monitor, supervise and hold accountable all employees in the areas of attendance, completion of documentation, ADP and implementation of all company policies, procedures and protocols.
• Supervises and meets regularly with all direct reports to review operational metrics and provide ongoing guidance; documents constructive feedback regarding job specific functions, responsibilities and competencies. 
• Maintains written documentation of supervision for oversight and review by other parties as appropriate.
• Demonstrates the ability to maintain a stable, productive team environment through effective communication, staff appreciation and other activities that yield a high level of employee engagement to support and preserve the employee’s interest in working for The Barnes Foundation.

Skills and Knowledge:

• M.A. in Art History, English, or Journalism
• 8-10 years book publishing experience
• Excellent working knowledge of art history is required (with an emphasis on Modern Art)
• Professional experience working for nonprofit organizations is preferred
• Proficient in editing both general interest and scholarly publications
• Able to manage multiple projects with overlapping deadlines
• Knowledge of publications and graphic design concepts, practices, and standards
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively as a team member
• Ability to work well with publishers, outside contractors, and other vendors

Competitive Benefits Include: Group health, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; short- and long-term disability and group life insurance; 403(b) with matching contributions; Employee Assistance Program; voluntary benefits; as well as paid vacation, personal time, sick time and holidays.

Please include a cover letter and an updated resume with your application.

The Barnes Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we’re committed to diversity and equal opportunity in our recruitment and hiring. Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply for this position. Employees have rights under other laws including, but not limited to, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Employee Polygraph Protection Act. We participate in E-Verify.

The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions.